Method and apparatus for assembling a photographic album

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for arranging photographic images in a photographic album, including means for establishing a signal indicative of a photographic image, storage means for storing said signals indicative of a photographic image and establishing a database of photographs, a video monitor for visually displaying the photographs in the database, second storage means for storing a database of available album mats where each mat represents a particular available configuration for a page of the album, means for selecting from the database of photographic images selected photographic images and establishing a selected photographic image database, means for selecting a page and a location on a selected page for photographs in said selected photograph database and for selecting an album mat to accommodate the selected photographs, thereby establishing pages for the album and means for sequentially viewing each page of the photographic album on the video monitor by viewing the selected photographic images proportioned for the selected location on the selected mat.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 07/842,893field Feb. 26, 1992 now U.S.Pat. No. 5,563,722 and entitled "Method andApparatus for Assembling a Photographic Album". The benefit of theearlier filing date of the aforementioned application Ser. No.07/842,893 under Title 35, United States Code, §120 is claimed.

DESCRIPTION--TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assembling aphotographic album from a database of photographic images and a databaseof available album mats, and allows a user to select a photographicimage and a location on a selected page for the selected photographicimages to establish pages for the album. Album mats are then chosen fromthe mat database to accommodate the selected photographs and pageconfigurations. A video monitor is provided for sequentially viewingeach page of the photographic album by viewing the selected photographicimages proportionately sized for the selected location on the selectedmat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Video imaging systems are known for digitizing images and establishingdatabases of photographic images. One known method of digitizing imagesto establish a database of photographs is to utilize a commerciallyavailable software imaging system such as PicturePower Image Software.Heretofore, this art has not been merged with the process and apparatusto assemble a photographic album.

Presently, photographic albums are designed utilizing a plurality ofpaper proofs which are printed for the client to view and choose thedesired pictures from the various printed proofs. After the desiredphotographs are chosen, the photographer selects album mats toaccommodate the selected photographs and form pages for the album.Printing the proofs is costly for the photographer and allowing clientsto remove proofs from the office prevents the photographer frommaintaining control over the paper proofs. In addition, the photographeris required to print a plurality of proofs which ultimately will not bechosen, thereby adding expense to the project.

The present invention attempts to overcome the disadvantage associatedwith the prior art systems for assembling photographic albums byeliminating the cost and the process of printing paper proofs andreplacing the "paper proofs" with high quality video proofs which can bemore readily controlled by the photographer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a new and improved method and apparatusfor arranging photographic images in a photographic album which replacespaper proofs with video images that are readily configurable to variousavailable page configurations.

The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus forarranging photographic images in a photographic album, including meansfor establishing a signal indicative of a photographic image, firststorage means for storing the signal indicative of a photographic imageand establishing a database of photographic images, a video output forvisually displaying the photographic images, second storage means forstoring a database of available album mats wherein each mat represents aparticular available configuration for a page in the album, means forselecting from the database of photographic images selected images andarranging the selected images on a desired page of the album, means forselecting a mat and a location on a selected mat for the selected imagesto thereby establish pages for the album and means for sequentiallyviewing each page of the photographic album on the video output byviewing the selected photographic images proportionately sized for theselected location in the selected mat.

A further provision of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved apparatus for arranging photographic images in a photographicalbum, including video imaging means for establishing an image signal ofa photographic negative image, a color corrector for receiving the imagesignal of the photograph negative from the video imaging means andestablishing an image signal of a photographic positive image, a videodigitizer for digitizing the photographic positive image and generatingan output representative of a positive photographic image, storage meansfor storing the output representative of the images and establishing adatabase of photographic images therein, a video output connected to theoutput of the video digitizer for displaying the database ofphotographic images, second storage means for storing a database ofavailable album mats where each mat represents a particular availableconfiguration for a page of the album, means for selecting from thedatabase of photographic images selected photographic images andestablishing a selected photographic images database, means forselecting images from the selected image database and arranging theselected images on a desired page of the album, means for selecting analbum mat and a location on a selected mat to accommodate the selectedimages as arranged on a desired page of the album to thereby establishpages for the album, and means for sequentially viewing each page of thephotographic album on the video output by viewing the selectedphotographic images proportionately sized for the selected location inthe selected mat.

Another provision of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved method of assembling a photographic album from a database ofphotographs, including the steps of creating a database of pictures,creating a database of available album mats where each mat represents aparticular available configuration for a page of the album, sequentiallyviewing each picture in the database, placing each sequentially viewedpicture in a selected file or discarded file, sequentially viewing eachof the pictures in the selected file, selecting desired pictures foreach page of the album from the selected file, selecting a mat for eachpage in the album to accommodate selected pictures for each page of thealbum from the database of available mats, and storing the selectedpictures, the selected mats, and the location on the selected mats ofthe selected pictures.

Still another provision of the present invention is to provide aninteractive method of creating each page of a photographic album from adatabase of images and available album mats wherein each mat isrepresentative of an available page configuration for the album,including the steps of sequentially viewing each image in the imagedatabase, selecting desired images for each page of the photographicalbum as images are sequentially viewed and locating the selected imageson selected pages of the album to establish a page configuration for thealbum, selecting an available album mat from the database of album matsto accommodate the selected images and page configurations, and storingfor each page the selected images to be mounted thereon, the placementof selected images, and the album mat required to accommodate theselections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the schematic representation of the apparatus of the presentinvention for arranging photographic images in a photographic album.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the database layout for thedatabase utilized in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of various photographic mats storedin the mat database.

FIGS. 4a & 4b are schematic flow charts illustrating the overall methodof operation of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart illustrating the method of operation ofthe slide show.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart generally illustrating the method ofassembling a photographic album from the database of photographic imagesand photographic mats.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the figures, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, anapparatus 10 for arranging photographic images in a photographic albumis more fully disclosed. While the preferred embodiment of the inventiondiscloses the use of photographic images to assemble the album, any typeof images, such as nonphotographic images, which can be electronicallydatabased can be accommodated by the present invention and the terms"photographic image" or "picture" as used herein are meant to includesuch other types of images. The apparatus 10 includes a video camera 12for capturing video images to be entered into a database of photographs.In the preferred embodiment of the invention, normal photographic meansare utilized to expose film and capture images. The exposed film isprocessed normally but paper proofs are not made. The negatives aremanually edited and a sequence is determined for the presentation of thephotographic images. After the negatives 14 are edited, they arecaptured by the video camera 12 and directed to processing hardware 18.

The images captured by the video camera 12 are negative photographicimages due to the fact that paper proofs are not printed. The negativephotographic images captured by the video camera 12 are directed to acolor corrector 16 which switches the negative images to positive imagesand provides color balance control before directing the image signals tothe processing hardware 18. The video camera 12 can be one of a varietyof commercially available video cameras such as manufactured by Tamron,JVC, or Sony. A commercially available color corrector such as thatmanufactured by Sony can be utilized. In some instances, the colorcorrector can be included in the video capture device or video camera12.

While the present invention illustrates utilizing a video camera 12 anda color corrector 16 to establish photographic image signals which aredirected to the processing hardware 18, other types of commerciallyavailable video capturing systems could be utilized, such as directcapture of the photographic images on CD-ROM or on photo CDs, whichwould then be directly input into the processing hardware 18. The term"video camera" as used herein is meant to encompass all types of videocapture systems.

The processing hardware 18 includes a personal computer generallyindicated at 17, which includes a central processing unit 20 such as anIntel i486DX which is connected to RAM storage 22. The personal computerincluding a keyboard 24 is provided for inputting data and instructionsto the processing hardware 18, as is well known.

The processing hardware 18 includes a video digitizer board 26 such asthat commercially available from TrueVision which digitizes the outputof the color corrector 16. An output of the video digitizer 26 isdirected to a compression board 28 such as that manufactured byPictureware which is adapted to shrink the size and compress thedigitized signals from the video digitizer 26 to enable the signalsindicative of photographic images to be stored in a more efficientmanner. The compression board 28 is connected to a hard disk drive 30which is adapted to store the compressed information indicative of thecaptured photographic images and establish a photographic database 32therein. The hard disk drive 30 as utilized in the present invention canbe a commercially available Maxtor MXT-LXT 213A 200 MB hard disk drive.While the preferred embodiment is illustrated as including a compressionboard 28, the use of the compression board 28 could be eliminated byincreasing the size of the storage on the hard disk 30.

A tape drive 31 such as that manufactured by Mountain is utilized as thepermanent file storage device. However, it is within the scope of thepresent invention that other file storage devices, such as rewritableoptical drives, WORM drives, or other hard drives could be utilized.

A video output 36 and a text monitor 38 are connected to outputs of theprocessing hardware 18. The color video monitor 36 is connected to anoutput of the video digitizer board 26 and is adapted to display thephotographic images represented by the image signals processed by thevideo digitizer 26. The video digitizer 26 can output to the videomonitor 36 the digitized output of the color corrector 16 or displaystored images from the hard disk 30 after decompressing the storedimages on the compression board 30. While a video monitor 36 has beenillustrated, other types of video displays such as tape recorders orprojectors could be utilized.

The text monitor 38 is preferably a monitor which is connected to avideo graphics adapter board 34 but could be any type of textual monitorused with personal computers. The video graphics adapter board isadapted to display textual matter and indicate in a textual andgraphical fashion selections made by the apparatus 10 for arranging thephotographic images, as will be more fully disclosed herebelow. Aprinter 40 can be connected to the personal computer 17 to print dataand images selected by the apparatus 10.

As is more fully disclosed in FIG. 2, the hard disk 30 is adapted tohave a plurality of databases stored therein, each of which may behereinafter referred to as a storage means for storing a particulardatabase. A first or photograph database 32 is located on the hard disk30 and is established from images captured by video camera 12, the videodigitizer 26 and compression board 28. A second or album matcharacteristic database 34 is also disposed on the hard disk 30. Thealbum mat characteristic database 34 stores the actual dimensions ofeach photographic image to be mounted on a particular album mat. Whenassembling an album, album mats which are available from variousmanufacturers are utilized to mount and frame the chosen photographs.These mats are available in certain predetermined configurations fromeach manufacturer wherein each mat indicates a particular availableconfiguration for a page of the photographic album. FIG. 3 illustratesat 50, 52 and 54 three available mat configurations. For example, mat 50is adapted to receive and mount three particular sized pictures, mat 52is adapted to receive two pictures, and mat 54 is adapted to mount fourpictures. Various other mat configurations are available and will bestored in the various mat databases.

A mat picture database 36 is stored on hard disk 30 and provides adatabase of visual representations of available mats which can bedisplayed on the text monitor 38. An album manufacturer's database 44 isprovided to relate visual representations of the mats in the mat picturedatabase 36 to order numbers for ordering the particular visuallyrepresented mat from a particular manufacturer.

A client database 38 and a price database are also disposed on hard disk30. The client database includes various information relating to theparticular client whose images are to be processed into a photographicalbum. The price database includes prices for various sized pictures andvarious mats. The price database is adapted to price the selectedpictures, as will be more fully described hereinbelow.

When it is desired to assemble a photographic album of a particularevent such as a wedding, the photographer exposes film to capturevarious images of the event in a normal fashion. The film is normallyprocessed but paper proofs are not printed. The photographer manuallyedits the negatives to remove duplicates and undesirable images. Asequence for the negatives is determined for a presentation processwhich in many instances follows the sequence of events captured by thephotographer. For example, in a wedding the sequence might be"Preparation", "Ceremony", "Reception", "The End". After the images areselected and the sequence is determined, the images are captured insequence through the video camera 12 and are stored in the photographicdatabase 32 on the hard disk 30. Image numbers for each image stored inthe photographic database 32 are sequentially assigned by the centralprocessing unit 20. Titles can be manually inserted in the photographicdatabase via the keyboard 24 in appropriate sequence between theappropriate images. For example, these titles can be "Our Wedding","Preparation", "Reception", "The End". Commercially available imageprocessing software such as PicturePower Image Software can be utilizedto process the images to establish database 32.

When entering the images from the negatives 14 in the video camera 12,oval and different shaped masks can be used over the negatives 14 tocreate a variety of borders and shapes resembling available mat choices.After the images are entered into the processing hardware 18, theprocessing hardware then sizes all of the images to provide variousoptions, such as different available pictures sizes. The entire databaseof pictures 32 is then replayed sequentially for viewing over the videomonitor 36 and can be transferred to a videotape recorder 46 forpresentation purposes. Music may be added to this videotape for laterpresentation to enhance the presentation of the program. The createdvideotape of the picture database 32 can later be sold to a customer toenhance the profitability of the photographer. The entire set ofdatabases for the particular photographic event can be then stored ontape drive 31 for temporary storage to free hard drive space.

The database of photographs 32 of the particular event which is storedin the hard disk 30 can be sequentially viewed through the color videomonitor 36 and each photograph can be placed in a selected or adiscarded file by entering the appropriate instructions in keyboard 24.After the images in the photographic database 32 are reviewed, theselected images are then sequentially re-reviewed and each image orselected images from the selected photographic database is assigned bykeyboard 24 to a particular page of the photographic album to becreated. The central processing unit 20 then confirms whether theselected picture formats are compatible and whether an album mat isavailable for the particular selected picture format. The format of thepicture is the orientation of the picture, i.e. horizontal, vertical orsquare.

After confirmation, the central processing unit 20 can calculate acustomer invoice from the price database 40 using the picture sizesselected by the central processing unit which accommodates the selectedimages on their selected page locations. If the final price isunsatisfactory to the customer, the created photographic album can beedited to add, modify or eliminate either entire pages and/or particularimages. Upon final acceptance of the album layout, an itemized invoicecan be printed and a printout can be made on the printer 40 of everypage of the album showing the image numbers, photographic images andselected mats.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 4, a flow chart for the overalloperation of the apparatus 10 is disclosed. During the sequencedisclosed in the flow chart, various decisions and information can beinputted via the keyboard 24 and prompts for decisions will be displayedon the text monitor 38 as is well known. The initialization process ofthe apparatus 10 starts at 60 in FIG. 4 wherein the apparatus proceedsto check its files at 62 and initialize the video display 36 and textdisplay 38 at 64. Picture compression is then activated at 66 and theuser then has the option of entering the Album Arranger main menu at 68.

The main menu includes a plurality of distinct tasks which can beperformed by the apparatus 10. These tasks include client control,indicated at 70; capture photographs at 72; slide show at 74; the albumat 76; reports and ordering at 78; systems utilities, indicated at 80;and exit to DOS, indicated at 82.

The client control task at 70 enables the user to create the clientdatabase 38 and perform various functions, including selecting a clientfrom the client database 38, adding a client to the client database 38,or maintaining a client whereby data concerning a particular client isupdated. In addition, the client control also provides the option totransfer data from or to the tape drive 32 from the hard disk 30.Additional functions include the ability to delete a client, enter aclient's address, and enter prices for a particular client.Additionally, a manufacturer of album mats can be selected topredetermine the mat characteristic database 34 to the particular matmanufacturer desired by the client.

The capture photograph function 72 provides for creation of thephotographic database 32 on the hard disk 30 and in part is based onPicturePower Image Software. The capture photograph function 72 enablesimages received from the video camera 12 to be arranged and stored inthe photographic database 32 on the hard disk 30. The particular imagecan be captured in a particular shape or a particular orientation andnotes of the photographer for display on the text monitor 38 can beincluded in the photographic database 32. When the images are enteredinto the photographic database 32 the database automatically sizes eachimage to accommodate all sizes which are necessary for use with theparticular mat manufacturer selected. For example, if a particular matmanufacturer utilizes five different sized pictures in themanufacturers' album mats, the database would then size each image toaccommodate the particular sizes necessary for the album mat. Inaddition, common titles for a slide show or custom client titles for aparticular slide show can be included in the capture photograph function72 and inserted or deleted at various locations in the photographicdatabase 32. Examples of common titles for inclusion in the photographicdatabase would be "Our Wedding", "Reception", "The End", etc. Capturephotograph 72 allows the photographer to capture a photograph from thevideo camera 12 and assign the orientation and shape stored in database32 to a particular captured image. The orientation or format can beselected from a number of predetermined orientations allowed for theclient, such as horizontal orientation, vertical orientation, etc. Also,various shapes can be selected from the shapes allowed for the client.The function additionally allows replacing or recapture of a photographfrom the camera 12 into an existing assigned image number in thephotographic database 32.

The slide show function 74 enables a user to view on the video monitor36 the photographic images and titles stored in the photographicdatabase 32. The slide show 74 sequentially shows the various images andtitles in the photograph database 32 and allows the user to move betweenvarious images in various manners, including a timed user-selectedsequence in which each image is viewed sequentially for a predeterminedtime period. The previous picture or the next picture can be viewed, ora particular number of a particular image could be entered by thekeyboard 24 to recall that particular image on the video monitor 36. Avideotape can be made by the video recorder 46 recording the sequentialimages displayed by the slide show function 74. This videotape can thenbe viewed on any VCR.

The user, as is more fully illustrated in FIG. 5, displays the picturesat 80 in the database 32 and has the ability to select pictures to beplaced in a selected file at accept 84 or place pictures in a discardedfile at 86. The pictures in both the selected file at 84 and thediscarded file at 86 are both stored in database 32 for future use increating the photographic album. The slide show also includes theability to view photographic images at 88 by entering into keyboard 24the image number and view particular notes or make notes on the textmonitor at 90. Notes can be annotated to each image. The slide show canchange the orientation and shape of a photograph by enteringinstructions into the keyboard 24 and can either add or delete or changetitles associated with particular photographs. In addition, statisticscan be included, in the database of how many images are chosen,discarded, used and unused in database 32.

The operation of the album function 76 is more fully disclosed in FIG.6. When it is desired to create an album, a sequence at 100 is initiatedto initialize the working variables. The system checks at 102 todetermine if photographs have been captured and at 104 to determine thatat least one photograph has been placed in the selected file at 84. Thesystem then checks if the photographs have been properly sized at 106,and opens supporting databases at 108. The system then checks todetermine if all photographs have been used at 110, and displays amessage at 112 on the text monitor 38 indicating status of thephotographs used. The album menu at 114 appears on the text monitor 38to allow the user to determine the particular functions to be performed.The user can choose via keyboard 24 pages at 116, images at 118, albumat 120, special at 122, or exit at 124 to exit from the album menu.

The image function 118 allows photographs to be put into album pages.The system will either automatically select the proper mats from the mapcharacteristic database 34 after images are selected for each page orthe operator may choose mats for an album page by inputting informationon the keyboard 54. When albums are created, all of the mats in anyparticular album are from a single manufacturer so that the album matsmatch on each page. Images 118 enables the operator to select aphotograph or a plurality of photographs for each particular page. Thephotograph can be selected by entering the photographs identificationnumber or can be chosen from a sequence of displayed photographs such asthe sequence of the slide show 74. Selected photographs for a particularpage can be formatted by selecting a photographic mat from the matcharacteristic database 34. Photographs can be deselected from the pagesif desired and inputted into the discarded file. In addition, theselected photographs can be viewed on the video monitor 36 in theirproper orientation. Notes associated with the displayed photographs canbe added to, deleted or modified by inputting information on thekeyboard 24 which is displayed on the text monitor 38. The imagefunction 18 can also change the shape or orientation of a currentphotograph to accommodate a particular mat. A further function of imagesis to find a particular image and indicate the location of the image inthe database or in the album.

Pages 116 allows the user to display a current page in the album, aprevious page in the album, or go to a specific album page and displayit after the pages have been assembled by the image function. Pages canrearrange photographs in a page by shuffling the position of thephotographs in the mats utilized on a particular page, as illustrated inFIG. 3. In addition, pages allows for the reselection of a mat for acurrent album pages wherein the new mat required is determined by thenumber, orientation and shape of the photographs to be placed on theparticular pages. New mats can be selected with smaller and/or lessphotographic images. Images can be removed from pages in break. Entirepages can be deleted from the album. All changes are reflected in thenext invoice generated. Each time invoices are generated the number ofeach size print is counted and then multiplied out by the price perprint. This allows a user to modify the price of the album, if desired.

Pages also joins album pages together to combine photographs on twopages into one album page or can be used to view a particular chosenalbum page. A function can also be included to identify panoramic viewson two facing pages of the album and to identify one-half panel images,i.e. one full page in size. Photographs can be split from a current pageand put on a new page or released into a free photographic pool.Photographs from the free photographic pool or the discarded file can beadded to a particular page or pages can be moved in the album. Inaddition, notes to be displayed on the text monitor 38 can be added orchanged for selected photographs.

The album function 120 is operable to display on the video monitor 36pages in the album with the selected images. The album function is alsoadapted to print on the printer 40 a version of the entire album page bypage, including the selected photographs and selected mats. The previouspage or the next page can be displayed, or a particular numbered pagecan be recalled and displayed on the video monitor 36. In addition, aslide show can be prepared to sequentially show the various pages of thealbum with the selected photographs and selected mats on the videomonitor 36. A data screen can be included on the text monitor 38 todisplay the number and size of each print used in the album and thetotal price of the album.

The special file 122 allows the operator to change mat manufacturers,delete all pages in the album, and display statistics of how manyphotographs are chosen, discarded, used and unused.

The report ordering file 78 in the album arranger main menu 68 isadapted to effect printing by printer 40 of invoices and order forms toorder the particular mats chosen for the photographic album and theselected images properly sized to assemble the album. In addition,report ordering 78 can print assembly instructions for the photographicalbum, print assembly instructions by print, and print negative labelsfor use in processing the album.

The systems utilities file 80 allows the manufacturer of mats and printsize to be changed for the system, and allows the price to be modified.In addition, the utilities file formats the tapes and reindexes thefiles.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that a new and improvedapparatus 10 for arranging images in a photographic album has beenprovided. The apparatus includes video imaging means 12 for establishingan image signal of a photographic negative 14, a color corrector 16 forreceiving the image signal of the photographic negative from the videoimaging means 12 and establishing an image signal of a photographicpositive image. A video digitizer 26 is provided for digitizing thephotographic positive image and generating an output representative of apositive photographic image. Compression means 28 compresses the outputof the video digitizer 26 and directs an output of the video digitizerto the storage means 30 which stores therein at 32 the compressed outputof the compression means 28 and establishes the database 32 ofphotographic images therein. The hard disk or storage means 30 includesa plurality of storage means therein for storing an album database 42, aclient database 38, a mat picture database 36, a mat characteristicdatabase 34, an album manufacturers' database 44, a photograph database32, and a price database 40. A video monitor 36 or video output isconnected to the output of the digitizer 26 for displaying the database32 of photographic images. Second storage means 36 is provided on thehard disk 30 for storing a database of available album mats wherein eachmat represents a particular available configuration for a page of thealbum which is available from a particular manufacturer. The keyboard 24provides means for selecting from the database of photographic imagesselected photographic images and establishing a selected photographicimage file at 84 and a discarded photographic image file at 86. Thekeyboard 24 is also adapted to select album mats at images 118 and alocation on a selected album mat for images from the selected photographfile at 84, thereby establishing pages for the album. Pages 116 providesmeans for sequentially viewing each page of the photographic album onthe video monitor 36 by viewing the selected photographic imagesproportioned for the size at the selected location on the selected mat.

In addition, a new and improved method of assembling a photographicalbum from a database of photographs 32 has been disclosed whichincludes the steps of creating a database of images at 32, establishinga database of available photographic mats 34 where each mat represents aparticular available album page configuration from a particularmanufacturer, sequentially viewing each picture in the database 34 viathe slide show 74, and placing each sequentially viewed picture in aselected file at 84 or a discarded file at 86. The images in theselected file at 84 are then sequentially viewed and the keyboard 24 isutilized during images 118 to select a particular location on a page foreither all or some of the images in the selected file. After the imagesare located in the appropriate location on an album page during image118, images 118 selects a mat and a location on the selected mat toaccommodate the chosen images thereby forming pages for the album. Themicroprocessor 20 checks the mat picture database 36 and the matcharacteristic database 34 to determine the actual sizes of the chosenimages as located on the mats selected to accommodate the chosen images.The selected images, the selected mats, the location on the selectedmats, and the selected images and sizes of the selected images are thenstored in the database for future use. The special file 122 allows theoperator to change mat manufacturers and delete either entire pages orindividual images or add entire pages or individual images to the albumto modify the invoice price for the album depending upon the users'needs. It is noted that the invoice price is generally determined by thenumber and size of the selected images. After the album has beenfinalized, the printer 40 is adapted to print each page of the albumwith the selected images proportioned for the size at the selectedlocation on the selected mat.

An appendix A has been attached to the parent application Ser. No.07/842,893 as an example of the code which will implement the methoddisclosed when used with the apparatus 10 of the present invention. Theappendix further includes a flow chart for the code.

What I claim is:
 1. An apparatus for arranging photographic images in aphotographic album, comprising video imaging means for establishing animaging signal representative of a photographic negative image, a colorcorrector for receiving said image signal of the photographic negativefrom said video imaging means and establishing an image signal of aphotographic positive, a video digitizer for digitizing said imagesignal of a photographic positive and generating an outputrepresentative of a photographic positive image, first storage means forstoring said output representative of a photographic image andestablishing a database of photographic images, a video output meansconnected to output of said video digitizer for visually displaying saidphotographic positive image, second storage means for storing a databaseof available album mats wherein each mat represents a particularavailable configuration for a page of the photographic album, means forselecting from said database of photographic positive images selectedphotographic images and establishing a selected photographic positiveimage database, means for selecting photographic positive images fromsaid selected photographic positive image database and arranging saidselected photographic positive images on a desired page of the album,means for selecting an album mat and a location on the selected albummat to accommodate the selected photographic positive images as arrangedon a desired page of the album to thereby establish a configuration fora page of the album, and means for sequentially viewing each page of thephotographic album on the video output by viewing the selectedphotographic positive images proportioned for the selected location inthe selected album mat.
 2. An apparatus for arranging photographicimages in a photographic album as defined in claim 1 further includingcompression means for compressing the output of the video digitizerrepresentative of a photographic positive image and establishing acompressed signal indicative of said photographic positive image whichis stored in said first storage means.
 3. An apparatus for arrangingphotographic images in a photographic album as defined in claim 1wherein said means for selecting from said database of photographicpositive images selected photographic images and establishing a selectedphotographic positive image database further includes the step ofestablishing a discarded photographic positive image database from thoseimages which are not selected by said means for selecting.
 4. Anapparatus for arranging photographic images in a photographic album asdefined in claim 1 further including third storage means for storingtherein a price database of the prices for the photographic images whichare stored in said database of photographic images in said first storagemeans and means for calculating an invoice price for the selectedphotographic positive images.
 5. An apparatus for arranging photographicimages in a photographic album as defined in claim 4, further includingmeans for editing the selected album mats to change the album mats andthe images selected therewith from the selected album mats and images toeffect modification of the invoice price.
 6. An apparatus for arrangingphotographic images in a photographic album as defined in claim 1,further including a printer for printing a written order for theselected photographic images and the selected album mats.
 7. Anapparatus for arranging photographic images in a photographic album asdefined in claim 6, wherein said printer is operable to print each albumpage, including the selected photographic positive images at theirrelative size and in their proper album mat location.
 8. An apparatusfor arranging photographic images in a photographic album as defined inclaim 4 further including the means for editing the selectedphotographic positive images to change images from the selectedphotographic positive images for the pages of the album to modify theinvoice price for the selected photographic positive images.
 9. Anapparatus for arranging photographic images in a photographic album asdefined in claim 8 further including means for editing the selectedalbum mats to change album mats and the images selected therewith fromthe selected album mats and images to modify the invoice price.
 10. Anapparatus for arranging images in an album comprising means forestablishing a signal indicative of an image, first storage means forstoring said signal indicative of said image and being adapted toestablish a database of images therein, a video output connected to saidfirst storage means for visually displaying said images in saiddatabase, second storage means for storing a database of available albummats wherein each album mat represents a particular availableconfiguration for a page of the album, means for selecting images fromthe database of images and arranging said selected images on a desiredpage of the album, means for selecting a album mat and a location on aselected album mat for said selected images to thereby establish pagesfor the album and means for sequentially viewing each page of thephotographic album on the video output by viewing the selectedphotographic images proportioned for the selected location in theselected album mat.
 11. An apparatus for arranging images in an album asdefined in claim 10 further including third storage means for storingtherein a price database of the prices for the images stored in saiddatabase of images in said first storage means and means for calculatingan invoice price for the selected images.
 12. An apparatus for arrangingimages in an album as defined in claim 11 further including means forediting the selected album mats to change the album mats and the imagesselected therewith from the selected album mats and images to effectmodification of the invoice price.
 13. An apparatus for arranging imagesin an album as defined in claim 12 further including a printer forprinting a written order for the selected images and the selected albummats, and wherein said printer is operable to print each album pageincluding the selected images at their relative size and in their propermat location.
 14. An apparatus for arranging images in an album asdefined in claim 11 further including the means for editing the selectedimages to change images from the selected images for the pages of thealbum to modify the invoice price for the selected images.
 15. Anapparatus for arranging images in an album as defined in claim 14further including means for editing the selected album mats to changealbum mats and the images selected therewith from the selected albummats and images to modify the invoice price.